Ever since it first opened its doors in 1965, Hilton Head Preparatory has operated under one guiding principle: always look to the future. Preparation is right there in the name, and it’s a cornerstone of the philosophy. In the intervening years since the day the first bell rang, with generations of students passing through and growing into leaders, they’ve never wavered.
“We’re proud that we have a goal in mind for students, whether it’s to prepare them for college or exposing them to the arts or athletics,” headmaster Jon Hopman said. “There’s a sense of purpose that plays a big part in who we are as a school.”
Setting the goal is only half the battle—probably less. Seeing that goal through to completion is the real challenge, one that Hilton Head Prep meets with every student who walks through their door. But rising to that challenge means taking a multi-faceted approach to education, first, by honoring that old phrase, “You win with people.”
Three quarters of the faculty hold advanced degrees, and Prep is proud to retain full-time staff at nearly every position. “We have more support people in place for our students to be successful in terms of dedicated counselors than anyone else,” Hopman said. “We have definitely invested in people here, with the primary focus being on providing resources for our students.”
But perhaps no factor is more important in Prep’s success then their unrelenting pursuit of improving their curriculum. As it stands, the education students receive is among the finest in the country, at a school that has been ranked not only at the top in Beaufort County but among the top 2.5 percent nationwide. But new additions to the available courses at Prep are giving students more options than ever to prepare themselves for the future.
The first is something that Prep is now offering for the first time: a film class, designed to introduce students to the world of motion pictures, cinematography, videography and visual storytelling. In an era in which students are largely communicating through short form video—okay, we’ll just say it: TikTok—this program is designed to sharpen their eye and their abilities.
“Ultimately, the goal is to have students who can produce a daily newscast or highlight events that are happening around campus,” Hopman said. For aspiring film students, it will give a tremendous leg up as they pursue higher education.
Naturally, preparing students for higher education and the future also means giving them the technological tools they need to succeed. Prep has doubled down in that arena, launching a slew of tech programs at nearly every level.
At the lower school, students will begin their journey with courses designed to teach them coding concepts. As they reach the middle school, they can pursue such subjects as binary, PC hardware, video game creation, ALICE animations, robotics, website development and Python programming. The upper school now offers both an introduction to computer science course as well as an AP course in Computer Science Principles which includes learning both Scratch and Python languages.
“It’s an entirely new program we can offer, in a state-of-the-art classroom that was partially made possible through donations,” Hopman said.
And those donations come from all over, a generosity of spirit from alumni and the community that has embraced Hilton Head Prep for over half a century. “I’ve talked to a lot of people, a lot of long-time island residents, and they’re proud that Hilton head Prep has been there to serve the community,” Hopman said. “We’re getting to the point where we see a lot of graduates coming back and being contributors around the island. There’s a rich heritage to our school.”
And it’s one that will continue to grow, particularly with the influx of new residents the island has seen over the last couple of years.
“For a lot of the families that come through looking to move to Hilton Head, the first thing is making sure they have a great school for their kids,” Hopman said. “We see that happen quite a bit, so we know we’re meeting a lot of needs for people coming from all over the country. And we are small enough for our teachers to give very individualized attention but big enough to offer a wide range of courses and extracurricular activities. We’re part of the attraction for Hilton Head Island and surrounding areas.”
These new islanders are learning what the rest of us have known for years: Hilton Head Prep produces results. With need-based tuition assistance available, it’s not about simply preparing the elite. It’s about preparing those who are ready to take on the next challenge.
“We are looking for students who are highly motivated and want to come to a place and work hard and be part of a community like this,” Hopman said. “There’s nothing easy about it. But we make it as easy as possible with teacher assistance and community support.”
Find out more at hhprep.org.
